This is my favorite yellow fleshed melon, and I’ve grown many
different varieties. The first one I picked was under ripe, but this one
was spot on. It weighed in right at 20 lbs. and is delicious. If there
is
such a thing as a dessert watermelon, this is it, and I had it for
dessert last night. As I was eating it, I tried to think how I could describe
the taste to every one. It’s that unique. It’s like eating a parfait of mangos,
papayas, and pineapple, all at one time, and the sweetness is sublime.
It’s very hard to tell, when this melon is ripe. The rind is dark green with light
green stripes, but it sunburns easily, and the under side never turns yellow,
as do most dark green types. In fact, sometimes it doesn’t turn at all, or if it
does, just a pale white. I let the vine start to die, before I pick them. Then I
know I have a real taste treat. This is a pick followed by the bowl that is in my refrigerator that will stay full for the next month, because i have 8 more melons in my garage refrigerator, and still more to pick. .
Ray, is this one still the favorite a decade later? Planning the garden for this year and I had a family request for yellow watermelon. Hoping to grab something excellent like this variety appears to be from your posts.
I have not grown Gold Strike. I have grown 3 or 4 superb yellow flesh watermelons. Luscious Golden and Yellow Moon & Stars both are very high quality dessert watermelons.
I know that it is a hybrid (and so will not breed true) but it looks like no-one else has seeds, would you mind saving seeds from your watermelons?
I used the wayback machine to check what Willhite said about it when they still sold it.
Beautiful orange flesh. This 22-24 lb melon has a very distinctive dark stripe, an oblong shape and small black seeds. Ships, handles and holds better if picked fresh. Very productive.
Hybrid. Tolerant to Fusarium Wilt. Estimated 80 days to maturity
